Pepperl+Fuchs acquires ecom instruments

Pepperl+Fuchs has acquired ecom instruments, a supplier of cell phones, 4G smartphones and tablets designed for hazardous areas. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

“ecom instruments pioneered mobile explosion protection products,” said Gunther Kegel, CEO of Pepperl+Fuchs in Mannheim, Germany. “Now with a 15 percent annual growth rate, this acquisition fits our portfolio well, and it reinforces our market position as the global leader in explosion protection technology.”

The move expands Pepperl+Fuchs’ product offering, and it enables the company to accelerate the rate of new developments in technology and products, Kegel added.

Related: Pepperl+Fuchs breaks ground on $25M U.S. distribution and engineering center. 

Added Rolf Nied, founder and managing partner of ecom instruments GmbH: “The expertise in explosion protection and the wide-spread international sales force of Pepperl+Fuchs made them our favorite partner from the very beginning.

Our innovative devices do not only fill a gap in their portfolio, but allow ecom instruments and Pepperl+Fuchs to develop future business models and solutions at the Center of Competence at Assamstadt to gain access to the enormous growth potential of the ongoing digitalization of industry,” Nied said.

ecom has maintained a presence in Germany, the U.S., Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Many of its products are rated for Zone 1/21, Division 1 hazardous areas or Zone 2/22, Division 2 areas. Additional products include PDAs, cameras and beacons.

Pepperl+Fuchs’ global headquarters is in Mannheim with a North American base in Twinsburg, Ohio. The company was recently named one of Control's Top 50 automation companies.